If i was to receive a model of a box and clicked on orientation, front the box is almost an isometric view. I changed the view orientation so that when i click normal to front face the view was flat to the front face but when i looked at the xyz axis in the bottom left corner of the screen it was at an angle. Is it possible to realign the model so that the front face aligns with the x y or z axis? Ive attached an example. I want the part to sit true to the x,zand z axis.

Do this by first selecting the face you want to be front, then ctrl selecting the face you want to be top. Once you have both faces selected, hit spacebar and double click "normal to"

After this, you part should be facing you with the top view facing up

Last, select the front face, hit the spacebar again, single click "front", and select "update standard views" which is the second logo from the left on the default spacebar menu. This is a monocular (I guess) with an arrow wrapping around it counterclockwise.

I never noticed that it didn't update the xyz. I have always wondered why does the SolidWorks Cartesian coordinate system not match real world? Or, is there not a right and wrong way? I was always taught that x was towards you, y to the left, and z up. Right hand rule with your first two fingers and your thumb. Middle finger towards you (x), pointer to the left (y), and thumb up (z).

A quick look at wiki tells me that is wrong too . Apparently, thumb (x) and finger (y) are on the same plan and middle finger (z) is perpendicular. You can then rotate as needed about the z axis? Sorry, got off topic...

So many internet instructions on CAD (or anything else) leave out the first few commands, leaving users lost how to get to the part of the solution that they DO mention. Its a huge beef, negating the help offered. This is a great example. The ENTIRE instructions are INSERT, FEATURES, MOVE/COPY. Don't select the body first, as some mention. Wait until the dialog comes up and then do the selecting. More than likely you'll be orienting the entire model to either the default planes, or a special one you've previously made. So you mate surfaces on your model to the desired planes. Works great. I'm not sure why it's all located under INSERT. Kind of misleading IMHO. I would put it in View because most of the incorrect answers on here refer to changing the view anyway, even though that's not what's needed. Now, why would someone need to do this at all? Well, for 3D printing, the part needs to load in the slicer square to the table. It's more accurate to do that in Solidworks than later in the slicer.